Warning: Depictions of gore and character death.
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, they belong to Oda Eiichiro.
Squall
Kid's mood darkened with every hour they sailed through the Skagerrak, slowly winding their way toward Denmark. He handed the steering oar to Wire near midday when they entered the Kattegat, bringing them in close to Svealand. Sitting at the side of the ship, he dug a knife into the wale while growling at the thought that the giant terrorizing Nami was somewhere in those lands to the east. He was so close to the bastard, all he needed to do was find the inlet that led the way to Tingstad and he could launch an attack. He would raze that man's hall and slit every giant's throat for making Nami's life, and now his own, so miserable.
"We only have a bare-bones crew, Jarl," Wire spoke up from the oar. "We left our strongest behind. Attack Arlong now and we might not see victory."
"Nothing's certain," he snarled as his gut twisted. Nothing was certain in his mind, not as a creeping unease teased over his spine and urged him to turn back for Drafn. Nami had foreseen his death at Arlong's hand, but the vision she had of the impending storm made no mention of her former captor. Perhaps if he attacked Arlong without Nami present to witness the battle, he might have a chance at inflicting damage on the giant's army. He didn't have to win the war in that attack, only declare his intention to battle the giant for Nami's freedom. A surprise attack might just work.
"You promised Nami that we would return in a week, two at the most," Wire reminded. "What am I to tell her if you let your temper dictate your actions now and send you to an early grave? She'll never forgive you if you die so soon."
Kid growled as the reminder made his gut twist with pain as though a spear ran him through. The thought of a spear sent a shudder down his spine as he remembered that detail from Nami's vision. He needed to return to her quickly. He couldn't leave her to Enel's mercy.
"We'll continue to Hedeby as planned," he relented, his tone bitter. "Perhaps the Earl will know more of Arlong."
Hedeby was a major trading port for the north. It's proximity and access to the Christian kingdoms made it an ideal port for all the northern rulers to use for business. The Danish king held the most power over the north, claimed fealty and alliance with a number of Svear and Norse leaders, but the Earl in Hedeby had their own power because of the hold they had over the port. If anyone had information on who ruled throughout the northern lands, it was the Earl of Hedeby.
His temper continued to simmer beneath a veneer of feigned calm until they sighted Danish lands. The thin trails of smoke from homes and forges beckoned them along the river that led toward the large town. Signal horns announced their arrival before they could even see the docks and Kid shoved his ire away to stand tall and greet whoever awaited them.
The port was teeming with activity as the weather permitted easier trade, but they were guided toward an open dock not far from the fish market and quickly aided in securing their ship by other villagers. Kid's gaze flit over every man that approached the ship to help his crew unload their chests, scrutinizing each one as he searched for a recognizable face. When he couldn't find the person he was looking for, he climbed onto the wale and leaped onto the dock, not bothering to greet any of the villagers helping tie the ship. He left Wire to oversee the ship as he stalked toward the town's market, spying a hunched figure that resembled an old crone slipping unseen through the carts.
She was veiled by a brown cloak made of a bear pelt, hiding her face from the merchants selling smoked mackerel and salmon to passersby. She came to a stop beside one table and pretended to stare at the ships, even caught his gaze as he headed in her direction. He caught the corner of a frown within the shadows of her hood, then her lip curled in a silent hiss, but she didn't let his approach deter her in her task. Bowing her head once more, she idly slipped a slice of mackerel from a basket and hurried away from the vendor while shoving the fish in her mouth.
He rolled his eyes and snorted at the thievery.
"I see you still let your stomach dictate your behavior," he called as the shrouded woman neared him. She came to a halt in front of him, crossed her arms over her chest, and let the hood of the cloak shift so he could see her annoyed glower. "I would think the earl has enough gold to buy fish like a decent person."
She rolled her eyes, but her posture relaxed before she pushed her hood off completely. He grinned at the shock of pink hair that greeted him, coiled and braided in an elaborate crown, decorated with silver and gold beads befitting her noble rank. He let his amused gaze sweep over her to inspect the red dress she wore beneath her cloak, finely trimmed with black, brown, and orange thread over her bust and waist, braided into intricate flowers and leaves. Her face was clean, her lips painted a vibrant red, and a slender gold hoop pierced the flesh beneath her right eye.
"At least you actually look like a woman today, Earl Bonney," he said once he met her glare again. "I expected to find you in your trousers, covered in the blood of a boar when I arrived. No hunt planned today?"
"I returned from a hunt yesterday," she huffed, spinning on her toes to lead him toward her hall. "I already ate the boar I slew, so don't expect any."
He snorted. "You really need to learn how to be hospitable to guests, especially an old friend like myself."
Her loud, high pitched laugh rang out over the market. "You are being generous calling yourself a friend, Jarl Kid."
"In my experience, if you're not greeting me with a sword, then I'm as much a friend as any other man," he quipped as he followed her.
"If I knew you were visiting, I would have had my sword ready," she shot back over her shoulder. "What brings you to Hedeby, anyway? I didn't expect you to have any trade for me this season."
He grunted as he climbed the steps of her hall's entry, unable to hide his frustrated scowl as he followed her inside. "I hadn't planned to visit, but I needed to get away from Drafn for a while."
The earl glanced at him with a thoughtful frown as she stood before the dais where her ornately carved chair sat, replete with etchings of boars with succulent apples wedged in their mouths. He ignored her scrutinizing gaze as he took a seat at a bench closer to the fire.
He had known Jewelry Bonney long before she won her earldom, and he his jarldom. She was the daughter of a well-respected noble, but shirked her family's desire to marry her off as a prize to the wealthiest or strongest suitor, and grew irate with their expectations when they succeeded in arranging a marriage with a Spanish lord. The man tried to bed her before the ceremony, incurring Bonney's wrath, and was found the next morning with his throat slit and manhood removed, while Bonney had vanished. She dressed herself as a man, took up sword and shield, and entered the Danish king's militia without her family's knowledge. She wasn't particularly strong, but she was cunning and intelligent in battle, and an adept spy, capable enough to earn the king's respect and privilege of her own – privilege she used to seize control of Hedeby and take the title of earl for herself, with no husband to strengthen the claim.
When she had been a commander within the king's militia, Kid had fought against her when his bastard father warred with a Danish noble favored by the king over a plot of land that was useless to them in Noreg. But after she took her earldom, he had visited Hedeby with his father's emissaries to congratulate her and enter trade negotiations. His father then tried to rouse rumors of a marriage between the earl and his house, though his sons had long died, leaving only Kid as a potential suitor. He had heard no word of this marriage, would have never agreed to it, and was left to endure Bonney's anger over the whole affair on his own. He quelled her temper and assured her that he would never marry a woman that would murder him in their bed before he could even consummate the union.
The emissaries were forced to leave Hedeby as tension grew and the rumors threatened to destroy any good relationship between their territories. But not long after, Kid went to war over the village and when he won, Bonney was the first to arrive to offer her congratulations. The relationship between their villages wasn't perfect, not with how little Bonney trusted any man that would stand to gain in a marriage to her, but she warmed up enough to him that trade improved between their territories and he no longer had reason to fear walking into a trap the moment he stepped into her hall.
Since then, they maintained a friendship, if one could call trading pointed barbs and empty threats a friendship, that worked as a tentative alliance when it suited either of them to aid the other. They were at least close enough that Kid knew she would see through any attempt to lie or avoid discussing his true reason for being there. She would see that he was bothered over something and not let him pretend otherwise, much to his annoyance.
Bonney removed her cloak and tossed it over the back of her chair before taking a seat. She waved for a servant to bring food and ale, waited long enough for them to be served, and then turned her whole attention onto him.
"You're not one to run away from responsibility," Bonney mused. "If your rule was being threatened by your half-sister's family, you wouldn't leave Drafn for anything, so I know that is not what drove you away. You brought nothing to sell or trade within my market, so you can't use the excuse of business for this visit. I sincerely hope you haven't come to make a bid for marriage like your father once attempted."
He sneered at her. "I ain't marrying you, woman. I've made that clear, so stop mistrusting my intentions here."
"Then what is the true purpose of your visit?" she asked impatiently.
He hesitated a moment, but her eyes narrowed on him and he knew he would have to explain. If he hoped to get some information on Arlong, he would need to tell her why he was interested in Tingstad, as well. He wouldn't be able to avoid discussing Nami with her.
"I've recently begun courting a woman," he grumbled into his cup before taking a fortifying swallow of ale to ease his discomfort over the subject. Bonney's eyes widened and she let out a surprised laugh. He knew she would have questions, so he cast his gaze over the servants and soldiers working within her hall. "But I'd rather not discuss her with an audience present."
Bonney brushed away her shock and slammed her cup onto the arm of her chair. "Everyone out," she shouted, not one to waste a moment in having her questions answered.
It took a few minutes for the servants and guards to gather their things. Her closest guards were hesitant to leave, but Bonney shooed them out as she snatched pitchers and trays of food from passing servants to set on the table Kid claimed for himself. Once they were alone, shut into the hall without anyone to eavesdrop, Bonney took a seat on the bench beside him with a fresh roast within reach for her to devour while they talked.
With a grudging sigh, Kid told her the tale of how he came to meet Nami and bring her into his hall, the tales of her family's ancestry, both false and true, and the prophecies she had made, those that had come to pass and those still looming ahead of them. By the time he told Bonney of his last night with Nami, she had finished her roast and was washing it down with her fifth cup of ale.
"So, you ran away from your woman after she had another vision? You didn't even question what she saw? Comfort her grief over it?" Bonney asked while picking a piece of meat from between her teeth. "That is cold, Jarl Kid. Even for you."
"If I didn't flee the hall when she pushed me away, I would have taken her by force," he growled in defense of his actions. "I can already imagine what she saw. I didn't need to ask to know she had foreseen my death again."
"I still think it cruel that you left. And cowardly," she stated flatly, unfazed by his snarl. "She has foretold of a storm on the horizon, one that might bring that mad king to your threshold. You've left her at the mercy of a monster."
His gut twisted at her words and he fought the urge to silence her judgement with his fist. He knew that he shouldn't have left so quickly, but he swore he had no other option. She said they were on the wrong path. He couldn't be near her after hearing that he was not meant to have her.
Bonney sighed and reached for the pitcher to pour another splash of ale into his cup, urging him to drink. "But, perhaps you are right and there was no better option. Maybe this is the path you were meant to take all along."
"How do you reason that?" he growled before tossing back all the ale in his cup. She glared when he held the cup out for her to fill and shoved the pitcher toward him to do it himself.
"I have heard of this woman you protect," she said. "The giant she runs from sent his search party here first to ask if I had seen her, and then waited on the cusp of my territory for Nezumi to appear. I mistrusted those men immediately. There was something strange about their interest in her and I'm glad to have my suspicions confirmed. You cannot let Arlong and his men take her back."
His hand tightened around his cup. "What do you know of Arlong and his giants?"
"Hardly anything of importance," Bonney admitted. "This was the first time I had heard of them, but the men I kept as my counsel from the previous earl knew of Tingstad. Jarl Genzo was a regular trader here and often came with a little girl in his company – a girl with amber hair. As I have heard, she was a jewel to look upon even then. The Christians within this village thought her angelic… Until she made herself known as the hellion she was. Merchants often found beads and trinkets missing whenever she appeared. Those still worshiping the old gods decided that she may be a beautiful child, but she was surely the daughter of Loki for all her trickery and deceit. Apparently, they were not far off when thinking her a child of the gods."
Kid snorted at the story. It seemed his woman was always a thief.
"My counsel told me that eight years ago, when Genzo's visits abruptly ceased, the former earl sent an agent to learn why his old acquaintance was no longer coming to trade with him. He suspected it was illness, perhaps a plague had struck the village. He never imagined that Genzo would be usurped, not when he was so loved and respected by his people. His agent never returned to inform him of this. He sent a ship shortly after, but the crew failed to return, as well. It took three years before they finally received word through another Svear noble that Tingstad was held by a new man, one that raided and ransacked his Christian neighbors nearly as often as he warred with the Normans and Franks." Bonney leaned over the table to snatch a platter of fish for another course, taking a bite before continuing with her story. "My counsel said that they thought the girl with amber hair had died in the war that claimed her village for this more ruthless jarl. They were surprised to hear she still lives."
"When Chew came searching for her, did he mention why she was so important to Arlong?" Kid asked.
Bonney's brow rose. "No. You've told me far more than he did. He said that she was a ward of Arlong's, like a sister to him, and nothing more. Are you wondering what his real interest in her is?"
"Nami's told me little of her life with Arlong," Kid grumbled. "All I know is that he believes the tale that says she is a daughter to Rán, but that he also means to use her against her father's family in Normandy."
"Who is her father?"
"She doesn't know. He's dead, though, so I'm not sure what leverage Arlong might gain from a bastard, heathen daughter. Whatever his intentions, he means to undo the duchy from within, and from there…" He shrugged. "I don't want to think what he might do with Nami once she's fulfilled her purpose."
Bonney hummed thoughtfully, her gaze fixed on a slice of pink salmon that hung from limp fingertips. Her lips tugged into a deep scowl before she shoved the food in her mouth. "As I said, don't let Arlong take her back. She may survive his torture, but her spirit will die. If you care at all about her, then never allow her to suffer that fate."
Kid turned to snarl at Bonney for thinking he would let Nami fall prey to the giant hunting her, but he paused when he noticed the earl's distant, somber gaze. Whatever thoughts she had about Arlong's interests in Nami, they sparked sympathy in the woman before him. She was not teasing him, not belittling him, merely stating a clear warning of what would happen to Nami if he failed.
Bonney cleared her throat and reached for more ale, breaking the tension in the air around them. "I'd like to meet this woman, if I'm able," she said, her tone relaxed as a smile crept into place. "Not only has she captured the attention of a heartless beast like you, but she is born of a Vanir goddess? She must be a remarkable woman to behold."
He glared at her. "When you say that, it makes me wonder if you mean to steal her for yourself."
"I am no man," Bonney said with a derisive snort. "It's your lot you should be most wary of. You're the ones that claim women as your possessions, the ones that use and abuse us for your own pleasures."
"Then why do you wish to meet her?" he asked.
"As I said, she sounds like a remarkable woman, one that is strong enough to endure the company of giants and wolves," Bonney quipped. "I can't imagine how she's managed to tolerate living with you for more than month. I can barely stand your company for a day. I don't have the patience for you."
He sneered, though he silently wondered how Nami put up with him as well as she did. He was not an idiot, he knew he was far from being an agreeable man. He could spark her fury even easier than he could kindle her lust, yet still she remained with him, and even permitted his courtship. He could only hope that she hadn't lost her patience with him after he chose to flee the temptation of her very existence, abandoning her on the dawn of a storm that neither of them knew what it would bring.
He slumped over the table with a heavy sigh as anxiety returned to churn in his stomach, his ale threatening him with nausea as it rolled in his gut. He knew that he could not linger in Hedeby long, but even as he worried over the fate of Nami and his village, he could not find the energy to spur him into action. His limbs felt heavy and useless, as though bound with invisible chains, keeping him rooted to his seat. He wanted to race back to her, to protect her from whatever came, but he knew that he couldn't.
She chose this path. It was his duty to heed her direction.
"How long do you intend to cower here?" Bonney asked.
He finally allowed himself to snarl at her. "I ain't cowering," he insisted. The earl's brow rose skeptically, but she didn't refute him openly. She knew better than to test his temper with her mockery. "I'll return to Drafn within a week." Assuming the heavy chains holding him down were removed that soon. He feared that the gods meant to keep him away from her, that they meant to test him with the distance.
"And if Enel attacks within that week?" Bonney asked blithely. "What will you do if Nami is taken from you?"
Kid sneered into his cup of ale. He knew the answer to that question without any thought. There was no hesitation in the answer he gave.
"I'll go to war for her."
The hall was quiet and somber that day, the men and servants all wary of Nami's unease. Her anxiety was palpable, growing with every hour since Kid left.
Killer watched in silence as she paced the hall and pretended nothing was amiss. He had set the men to prepare for whatever battle might come their way. They sharpened their swords, secured their shields, cleaned their axes, readied their spears. The servants brought ale and food to fortify their strength. Killer's swords were sharper than they had ever been, leaving him to observe Nami while he had a servant comb and braid his long hair.
Nami tried to work at her mending first, but grew frustrated with that after only a few minutes. She paced the hall until she snatched up a broom, but her sweeping only stirred dust and dirt into the air, leaving it to resettle where it had lain before. She went to arrange the furniture on the porch, folding blankets and straightening furs, but Killer could see her whole attention wasn't on the task. Her head snapped up, her eyes flitting anxiously over her surroundings as though danger loomed over her shoulder. Her gaze consistently fell onto the woods to the east, searching but finding nothing there.
He leaned toward Stig who was digging into a plate of fish after checking the strength of his bowstring and that his arrows were sturdy. Stig was only a year younger than him. Slender and tall and dark-skinned, the child of a Norseman and a woman from eastern lands not far from where Nami's name was borrowed, he was a skilled hunter and fisherman, more adept with a bow than a sword.
"Gather some men and post a guard in the woods," he whispered. "Focus to the north and east, keep men in the trees so they can overlook the whole bay. I won't have this village taken with its guard down while Kid is away."
Stig nodded and quickly finished his meal before waving at some others within the hall. Killer sat back, his gaze returning to Nami as she came back into the hall to pace around the fire. She didn't ask where the men were going, what orders he had given. She merely stared at the hearth as though it might hold all the answers she needed, all while wearing a rut into the wood floor with her pacing. He had no idea how to break her from her anxieties. Kid was better at infusing his men with confidence, and Killer had witnessed the ease he had quelling Nami's worst fears.
Killer was as confident as his cousin when facing a battle, but he could admit that the uncertainty of what was to come left him wary. Their leader was gone, fleeing the village on the eve of a great storm, and the woman who had foreseen it was restless and leaving them all to wonder if this would be their last battle. Killer needed to know what she had seen that drove their jarl away, but he was loath to ask. She confided in Kid about her visions and rarely anyone else. Heat had been helping her learn her magic and how to understand her visions, but he doubted Nami would have shared as much with him if not for that. Hróarr and Gunda had witnessed her foresight, so they were given more insight than he was. All he knew about her magic came from what Kid confided in him and he wasn't sure if she would welcome his questions, not with the panicked state of mind she was in.
It was late in the afternoon when she finally met his gaze. The servants were preparing the nightly meal and Nami hadn't done more to help beside cut some vegetables for a hearty stew. When she finished that task, she looked lost and distracted, her gaze flitting around the hall as though seeing it for the first time.
Or perhaps the last, he thought as he noticed the sheen of her eyes and sadness tugging at her lips.
When she saw him watching, as he had been since Kid departed, her lips pursed tight and she forced her eyes to harden. He said nothing as she stood and walked toward him. She cleared her throat, smoothed her hands over her green dress. Her fingers played with the blue thread woven at the waist of her dress and he idly noticed that they shook.
"Killer," she said, her voice firm and steady, but quieter than he was used to. He realized that was the first time he had heard her speak since Kid left. Even Gunda failed to coax her into conversation throughout the day. "Will you walk with me?"
He stared at her a moment, wondering on her motives. She hadn't looked at him for the whole day. Hadn't looked at anyone. Even if she was addressed, her gaze was never wholly fixed on a person's face. Distant and aloof. It was terrifying to see on someone usually so bright. He hoped that she was finally ready to confide her fears in someone.
He nodded and then stood to follow her out of the hall. He kept a hand on the grip of a sword as he watched her back stiffen. She had secured her axe to her belt, hadn't taken it off for the whole day, and as they put distance between themselves and the hall, she casually palmed the smooth wooden shaft to check that her weapon remained there. She silently guided him through the village, toward the bay. Her head tilted and angled in her constant search of the woods around them. She picked up her pace as she led him toward the river. He followed her over the rocky shore and continued to say nothing until she came to the clearing near Kid's old home.
Her shoulders relaxed with the solitude of the area and she let out a relieved sigh once she reached the shade of the oak tree leaning over the water. He watched as she collapsed into sweet smelling grass and finally he was gifted with the slightest of smiles as she breathed in deeply.
He could see why his cousin was so taken with her. It wasn't her beauty that swayed Kid's heart. As fiery and willful as she could be, she had a kind and approachable air, a warmth that a man like Kid craved more than anything else in the world. She was smart and witty and optimistic. Her cowardice was no match for her determination and resolve. No matter how fearful she became, she would never stop moving forward, living for a world of freedom she longed for. No matter how anxious she may become, Kid would always see her as a brave and strong woman, fighting for those she loved.
Her smile showed the strength she bore in her heart, and it was for that smile they would all fight until their last breath.
"I've decided," she said, the quiver in her voice belying the fear not shown in her smile. Killer cocked his head to the side and hummed curiously at the strange statement she made. "Enel is coming for me and I won't let him destroy the lives of innocent people unaware of the danger headed their way."
A shiver went down his spine and he gently eased onto the grass beside her. He wasn't sure what exactly she had decided, but he had a feeling he wouldn't like it by those words alone.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked hesitantly.
Her smile grew somber, but no less determined as she stared ahead at the river. He followed her gaze when he heard the shrill cry of a falcon as it circled the opposite bank. It skidded across the rocks as it landed, then hopped toward the water to take a drink. He wasn't sure what to make of the bird when its gaze cast over to them. It seemed to stare intently at Nami for a moment, then went back to splashing within the water.
"I was afraid to pick a route before, but I was given advice that pushed me forward. I can't turn back now," she said, her words becoming even more cryptic as she explained.
Killer looked between her and the falcon, unsure who might have given her advice. If Kid had given her advice, Killer would have heard of it. The same if it had been Heat, or any of the others within the hall.
"I'm not certain yet if the advice I was given will prove fruitful," Nami continued, her tone turning skeptical and annoyed. He glanced at her to see that she was glaring at the falcon across the river. The falcon appeared to glare right back before it opened its beak and clattered as it hopped upon the rocks, flapping its wings as though it were angry with Nami.
Was the falcon communicating with her? Was this another gift?
And then he remembered the falcon Kid carved for Nami, the last gift he had given right after Nezumi left. Nami had been frustrated with her lack of answers when Kid gave her the statue. The night before Kid had left, Nami had gone to bed alone, intent on meditating and praying with the new piece upon her altar. Was the falcon an agent of the gods? Was Freyja giving her the guidance she had been so desperate for?
"They've made me drive Kid away," Nami said, ignorant of his thoughts and the myriad questions he had. "I'm not certain how that could be construed as helpful, but after the last vision I had, I doubt it could make things worse."
"What exactly did you see?" Killer asked, leaning toward her as she continued to stare at the falcon still hopping upon the rocks.
Nami slowly looked at him. "Enel is coming for me. If I had lain with Kid last night like I intended, then this village would have been destroyed and everyone would be slaughtered."
"And now? You pushed Kid away, was that what you needed to do to save the village?"
Her lips pursed and she turned to glare at the falcon once more. The falcon turned its back to her and took off into the trees. It didn't go far, perching upon a branch within sight. Its loud, chattering cry echoed over them.
"I don't know if it'll save the village, but it might help me spare some of the villagers from slaughter," she said carefully. "Kid isn't here to stop me from making whatever decisions I need to make."
He didn't like where her thoughts were taking her. Glowering, he grabbed her forearm and forced her to look at him. Her eyes were cold, her emotions sealed off better than he had ever seen. She wasn't kidding him. She had truly come to her decision.
"Kid might not be here, but I've promised to keep you safe. We all have. We will not let you go without a fight," he argued.
Her smile didn't meet her eyes as she gently placed her hand on his. "And I don't expect you to, but I fear that Enel is too strong. I have met him in my vision. He has seen me. He knows I'm here. He will come prepared for victory. I won't let him take me easily. If there is any chance that we can defeat him, then I will take that route, but if we can't win this battle, then I will make a choice in the hope that we can win the war."
"War?"
"If Enel succeeds, if he takes me from here, what will Kid do the moment he returns to find me gone?" she asked. His eyes widened in realization. It would be war. Kid would not rest until Nami was returned to him. No matter the cost, he would get her back or die trying. Nami's eyes saddened. It was brief, but he saw the flash of emotion before she closed herself off again and looked up to the falcon in the trees. "He will need his strength if he goes to war. He will need an army capable of defeating a giant… or a god. I will not lose his best warriors because I'm afraid of who might take me. I will not let him be weakened by this battle."
Killer sat in silence as the realization sunk in. Nami was not thinking of this one battle on the immediate horizon. She was thinking farther into the future, to the war this battle would breed. She was seeing into a future unknown to them.
"Why tell me this?" he asked quietly.
"Because you're the only one in this village I can trust to keep Kid from acting recklessly. I will make a decision that could affect our whole future, but if he lets his anger get the best of him and comes for me before he is strong enough, then all will be for naught." She turned to face him fully and took his hands in hers. "Promise me you will keep him here for as long as you can. Counsel patience, and if that does not work, then chain him up if you must. Just do not let him come for me."
He sighed. "Kid is not going to be happy about this."
"There is far more at stake here than Kid's happiness," she argued. "I'm not happy about this either, but if it will bring victory in the future, and not just against Enel, then I will do whatever it takes to make that happen."
She was trying to save Kid from the fate she had foreseen. Not because of her foremother's prophecy. She wanted to save him for her own wishes, her own desires. She didn't want to lose him. She would rather suffer alone, separated from those she cared about, than see Kid die.
He forced a reassuring smile for her and squeezed her hand. "I swear to you. I will do everything in my power to temper Kid's rage. I'll trust whatever course you choose."
Genuine relief shone through her smile. There was a subtle tremor of fear in her eyes, but his promise reassured her enough that the tension left her frame. "Thank you."
They sank into a companionable silence as Killer considered the promise he had just made. Kid would be furious with him, but hopefully he didn't see it as a betrayal. He would have to plan carefully for Kid's inevitable rampage. Nothing could be left to chance, not if he was willfully allowing Nami to leave their protection. He would need to give Kid reason to trust this decision and not see it as the abandonment he feared.
Later that night, after the meal had been cleared and Nami had gone to bed, Killer gathered the men around the fire in the hall to strategize the coming war. Nami had made her decision, and so had he.
He sat with all the men watching him, expectantly waiting for his orders. He eyed each of them, carefully considering their strengths and weaknesses. Heat and Hróarr would provide cover for the villagers, evacuating them to the surrounding farms to keep them from falling victim to Enel's attack. Axel and Gunda would protect Nami. Stig would continue his watch. He would personally lead the main guard forces within the village, with Geir as his next in command. His gaze fell to Ove, the large man huddled beneath his bear furs, his expression unreadable. He needed the Dane's strength if this strategy was to succeed.
With a defeated sigh, he leaned forward to share his thoughts.
"Kid is not going to like this…"
Nami hardly slept that night. She continued to feel an impatient restlessness that left her tossing and turning, lingering on the edge of sleep without gaining any meaningful rest. How long before they came? How long would she have to wait before the course she needed to take showed itself to her?
She knew that her last vision had set everything in motion. She had rejected the path of unguarded hope, the path that appeared to promise her the normal life she might have once longed for. She drove Kid from his hall, leaving her to act without the restraints he would place on her when the battle came. He couldn't stop her from making whatever choice she needed to make, and he wouldn't be there to fight a losing battle. His stubborn recklessness would have been his undoing against the king, even Nami knew that without seeing the battle for herself. He would not let that man take her without a fight, and he would let his anger guide him to ruin if he thought it might protect her. With him gone, Nami had no reason to fear his loss. She could act in her best interests, as well as the interests of the people who never deserved to be afflicted with her curse.
As tired as she was, she pulled herself out of bed at the first sounds of the morning. The hall was quiet as everyone slept, but outside she could hear the morning birds chirping as they hunted for their meals. The falcon that had been lingering around the fjord cried over all of them, a reminder of the route she had chosen to take.
She could feel Loki's shadow lingering at her back. Ever watchful. Ever patient. What he stood to gain from helping her, she couldn't fathom, but he had yet to abandon her, even on the cusp of war. She wasn't sure if she should take comfort from that.
Quietly, careful not to wake the others out in the main hall, Nami lit a candle and set to work. She dressed in yellow and red, combed and braided her hair, decorating it with strings of amber beads and clipping the braid into a bun with a gold comb Halle had slipped to her from his share of the English hoard. She donned the golden brooches that once belonged to the family she never knew, carefully stringing her beads of amber between them. She picked out her favorite gold and amber earrings, put on the gold bangle and leather bracelet she never went without, and made sure that the rest of her treasures were arranged neatly in the silver box Kid had given her. All her dresses were folded and packed away in the chest at the end of her bed while she kept her fur trimmed cloak out.
She tucked the statues and pieces from her altar into the chest with her clothing. Her jewelry box was packed away last. She left her parchment and maps on the table with the vase of flowers Kid had given her, the petals falling away as they wilted, but she packed the book of Frankish nobility and the journal the English knight kept. She bound the jar of ink in thick leather and wedged that into her chest so it wouldn't spill. The journal still had blank pages for her to use if she needed them, but she couldn't spare the room for the rest of her parchment.
She hoped that her chore was meaningless, that she wouldn't need to leave, but instinct told her that it was best to be prepared.
She shut her chest and huffed when the lid refused to close. She had to sit on top to keep it down while latching it shut. When it was secured, she looked up to find Killer standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and a heavy glower set on the chest she had just packed. His gaze swept over the tidy room. His frown deepened. He said nothing to sway her decision, but she could see he was unhappy with it. He wouldn't stop her, even though he knew he should.
"The men are ready," he said, his gaze falling back to her. "We all know what to do."
She smiled gratefully. "I should get to work on the meal, then. I think there's some pork left. You could all use the extra meat today," she said, standing to make her way to the door. Killer didn't move from her path, forcing her to stop and look up at him. "What is it?"
He stared at her in stoic silence, then sighed before shifting to the side to let her pass. "It's nothing. I'll help with the meal."
There was a somber mood in the air as the hall ate their breakfast. Most of the men tried to treat the morning like any other, chatting and laughing together at their tables. But she didn't miss the looks they sent her, filled with uncertainty and sadness.
Gunda couldn't seem to look her in the eye. If the shieldmaiden tried to speak with Nami, her voice caught in her throat and she walked away without saying anything at all. She spent most of breakfast at a table with Geir, her gaze fixed on the porridge in her bowl as she mindlessly stirred it. She didn't eat until Geir smacked her arm and glared when she looked up at him. Gunda satisfied him by taking a few small bites, but passed him the rest to finish for her, ignoring the disapproving look in his eye. She sat there with a morose expression that Nami couldn't bear to look at.
Killer sat at the main table with her, as silent as ever, and stole gazes her way when he thought she wasn't looking. He appeared resigned, albeit uneasy with her decision.
To distract herself from the tension looming above them, she spent most of breakfast playing with Sind. The boy had claimed Kid's chair between her and Killer. He was too small for the jarl's throne, but he didn't care a whit as he swung his feet back and forth while forcing himself to scowl at a broken branch that he pretended to carve. It was an adorable play at mimicry that Nami was more than happy to entertain. He played the part of Kid well until Nami called him Jarl and praised whatever it was he was attempting to make, then his unnatural scowl turned into a stifled giggle as he fought off a smile.
The boy hadn't noticed the unease in the hall, or perhaps he chose not to care. He was learning the language quickly, but she doubted he fully comprehended all that had happened the last few days, the words spoken, the warnings given. He was oblivious, steeped with the childhood innocence she once had. He had witnessed war and battle, yet he remained untouched by the grim reality around him. He wouldn't remain ignorant for long, though she wished she could provide him with more time to enjoy the peaceful life they had managed to give him since he came to the hall.
A rapping noise outside broke into the tenuous peace of breakfast. Nami's spine straightened as Hróarr stood to investigate. She tried to hide her fear as she reached for Sind, running her hand through his hair in a vain attempt to appear calm. She was preparing to drag him from his seat and send him off to hide somewhere within the hall if necessary.
Hróarr returned quickly with Ingrid on his arm, hobbling along beside him as her cane bore some of her weight. Ingvild bounded in behind her grandmother, full of energy and as innocently unaware as Sind. The little girl skipped through the tables filled with armed warriors, unbothered by the axes and swords at their hips or resting on the tables, and leaped onto the platform the main table sat. Nami forced a smile as Ingvild climbed into her lap and leaned over to see what Sind was carving.
"I apologize for interrupting your meal," Ingrid croaked once she was at a table just in front of Nami's. Hróarr helped the old woman into a chair and waved for a servant to bring her food. "I woke this morning with my knees and hips all knotted up. Miracle I got out of bed. Can you help look after the little one for me? I can't keep up with her today."
"Of course," Nami said, her forced smile widening. It would be good to have a task to keep her busy that day. She would grow restless again if she was left on her own. "Did you have any chores to see to? I'd be happy to spare some help for you."
Ingrid hummed as she took a bowl of porridge from a servant. "Just the sweeping, and possibly some help preparing supper."
"You are welcome to dine with us tonight," Nami said.
"I thank you for your hospitality," Ingrid said with a nod. "You are much too good for that Jarl."
"He would have offered the same if he was here," she said in Kid's defense.
"Perhaps. But he would have said it less kindly." Ingrid snorted as Nami giggled at the truth of that. He would have grumbled the offer while he ate and then muttered insincere complaints about it under his breath. The old woman paused in her eating to stare at Nami. She tried to ignore the scrutinizing sweep of Ingrid's gaze, turning to give Sind's work her attention. "You are dressed quite finely today, Lady Nami. Is there some auspicious occasion that we should be celebrating?"
Nami's smile remained forced. "No, I just woke early and felt that I should dress well today. You never know what the day might bring."
Ingrid nodded sagely. "Well, you look beautiful today. I'm sure Freyja herself would smile upon you."
"I hope she does," Nami said while Killer shifted in his chair. She glanced over to see him glaring at his plate as he stabbed a knife into a slice of pork. When he saw her watching, his lip curled into a sneer and silent hiss before he shoved his pork into his mouth.
Her brow rose at the first sign of genuine anger she had ever seen from the man.
"Well, at least while Jarl Eustass is away, someone is playing the role of surly grouch in this hall," Ingrid spoke up, her tone filled with reproach. "Really, Killer? You are much too handsome to be twisting your face into your cousin's scowl. Especially one directed at Lady Nami. You usually show her nothing but the utmost respect. What has gotten into you this morning?"
Killer's expression lost all emotion. He turned a stoic gaze to Ingrid and quietly stared at the old woman's glare. After a moment, he bowed his head and muttered an apology before digging into the last of his meal.
Ingrid sighed. "First Jarl Eustass runs off on an unannounced and unplanned journey with hardly any men and nothing to trade, and now his cousin sits in his hall growling as he would. What has become of this hall?"
"I don't think Killer slept well last night. He's just ill-tempered this morning." She smiled at Killer, ignoring the annoyance in his gaze. "I'm sure his mood will improve before the day is done," she lied.
She hoped by the end of the day that lie would turn into a truth. She would rather see them win their battle, but she knew it would not be easy. Could not be easy. This was a test, a chance to prove themselves to any god watching, to show them that they would not let their lives be ruined by a foolish curse. Her family had suffered its effects for centuries, but the world was changing around them and surely this had to change, too.
"Hróarr, when we're finished eating, perhaps you could help Ingrid back to her home and see to some of her chores so she can rest," Nami said, smiling at the older man. He glowered at her, but nodded his agreement. She hoped he also saw fit to sending her out of the village before the king came. She wouldn't suggest it aloud, if only to keep the old woman and children from worrying. They would be safe.
To her great fortune, Hróarr turned to Ingrid with a gentle expression. "I think a walk would be good for your joints. Loosen them up. We won't go far, only to Jarl Eustass' old home, and I'll bring a cart in case you tire, but the exercise could do you good."
Ingrid glared at him. "Are you daft? A walk that far is like to kill me."
"That is why I intend to bring the cart," Hróarr said, trying to convince her on the idea. "And you can stay the night there if need be."
The old woman waved him off. "We'll see how I feel after a few chores are done."
Nami stifled her urge to sigh in relief. She would wait until Ingrid was in that cart and on her way to safety. She would see that the children went along with her.
They finished breakfast with light-hearted conversation. Sind finished carving his stick, though she still had no thought as to what he had attempted to make. He and Ingvild ran off to play in the square before Nami could stop them, but Gunda hurried out after them to keep an eye out for trouble. Hróarr left behind her, Ingrid hobbling along with his support. The old woman shouted at her granddaughter, urging her to behave for her temporary guardians.
Nami saw that the hall was tidied up before heading outside to watch the children with Gunda. Killer had huddled together with the men while she and the servants cleaned. The men spoke at a hush and Nami ignored the casual glances they sent to her. When she stepped outside and found Sind and Ingvild playing a game, she noticed Axel break away from the men to follow her.
It appeared she would have a guard that day.
She paid him no mind as she joined the children.
The morning remained peaceful. Nami let her games with the children keep her mind occupied. She refused to look out toward the fjord, or search the woods to the north and east. They had scouts roaming the trees. They would alert them to danger before she could so much as glimpse a sail on the horizon.
The falcon circled the village throughout the day, squawking and clattering when it wasn't resting upon its preferred perch – a wolfish snarl jutting out from the top of the hall's roof. She caught Killer glare at the bird on his way by once, but he continued to hold his tongue as he made his way to the smith's forge.
Afternoon crept up on them and Nami made her way to Ingrid's home to see how the old woman was faring. She walked in to hear Hróarr urging her to journey out toward the countryside with little luck in swaying the stubborn woman.
"We'll come with you," Nami offered as she hefted Ingvild onto her hip. Gunda and Axel remained outside with Sind, her guards keeping the boy entertained. "There's an oak tree by the river I'd like to collect some acorns from, the children can help me while you rest by the river. I think Hróarr's right – the exercise will do you good."
Ingrid sighed grudgingly where she sat by the fire. She looked weary and feeble, far too old to flee from any dangers.
"I'll have the servants put together a basket with some berries and ale to enjoy," Nami added. "We just received a fresh batch of ale from Killer's farm. It's very tasty."
Ingrid's brow rose, but she finally relented with a nod. "Only for the ale. It'll do my aches more good than this exercise you insist upon."
Once again, Nami stifled her relief and forced a smile. She could not let these people worry or have reason to fear.
She left Hróarr and Gunda to help Ingrid prepare for their journey and sent Axel ahead to ready a horse and cart. She took the children to the hall, tasking them to help the servants with the food and ale. As they walked back to the hall, she took note of the quiet settling over the village. She had noticed that Killer and the rest of the men had been wandering through the village, going from home to home. She hadn't thought too much of it until she caught a glimpse of villagers walking toward the south and west, away from the village and toward the farmlands within Kid's territory.
They had been warned of the war on the horizon.
Some of the homes stood completely empty now, others had a man left behind, sharpening an axe with the intent of defending their home. Some widows remained for the same reason, sending their children away to safety. It was a quiet exodus, one that hopefully went unnoticed by any spies that might be hiding within the forest.
Nami and the children had baskets filled with food by the time Axel hollered to them from the square, telling them that the cart was ready. Nami shooed the children out ahead of her and turned to the servants.
"Gather what you can for food and go to Killer's farm," she whispered to the thralls. "Go as quietly and carefully as you can. Remain there until you are sent for."
They all exchanged curious looks before nodding their agreement. She had no doubt that a few of them might try to flee from their life of servitude, but that was the least of her worries. If they remained, and survived the battle, they would be taken as slaves for another household, one she had no doubt was far worse than Kid's. Death might be a better option for them in that case.
"Why is the village so quiet?" she heard Ingrid asking as she walked out of the hall. "And solemn. This day is strange."
"I think I feel a storm on the wind," Nami called to her while descending the steps to the square. "The unrest in the air might be affecting everyone."
Ingrid glowered at her forced smile and turned to face her fully. "You're hiding something from me. I may be old, but I'm lucid enough to recognize men preparing for war. What is coming for us?"
Nami knew there was no use in hiding her vision from the old woman any longer. It would likely make her evacuation simpler. With the rest of the villagers making their way to safety, there was no concern about sending everyone into a panic.
A scream rang out over the river and fjord, cutting off her explanation before she could even take a breath to speak.
"Get her in the cart," she ordered Hróarr while Gunda hurried to help the children up into the cart, too. "There's no time left."
She heard a shout, another scream, the clash of steel, and the strike of an arrow into wood. She wondered why she heard no horns, no alarms of attack when danger was clearly upon them. The next scream she heard was louder, followed by the scent of a fresh fire and a dark plume of smoke that drew her attention from the northern woods she had expected the king to attack from.
Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her.
"They're coming from the south," she called out, turning wide eyes to Hróarr. His face was ashen white with his own realization.
Panic threatened to steal her breath. The villagers that were sent away in anticipation of attack had gone that way. They had sent those innocent families straight to their deaths.
A horn finally bellowed from the north, quick and sharp and followed by another that came from the west. Another series of screams cried out from the back of the hall just before the thrum of a bowstring urged her to action.
"Go," she cried out at Hróarr just as he climbed into the seat of the cart and took the horse's reins from Axel. The first arrow struck a house just to the north of them and Nami could hear the sounds of battle coming closer.
"Lady Nami, you must go, too," Gunda urged as she lifted her shield and took out her sword.
She wanted to run, her legs urged her to flee as far and fast as she could. But if she ran, then she was only proving herself a useless coward and dooming these people to more suffering than they were already sure to endure.
"Nami," Killer shouted over the growing cacophony of battling. His swords were drawn, but he sprinted toward them instead of facing battle directly. He said nothing, merely pointed at the cart before spinning to take on the first warrior to appear before them.
"Lady Nami," Gunda urged again while Axel took his shield from his back and position himself to defend the vulnerable cart.
She couldn't find the words to argue with them any longer. She would trust them to fight for her until no hope was left.
"Go," she commanded Hróarr as she climbed into the cart. Ingrid beckoned her to hunker down with her and the children. With a quick shout and snap of the reins, Hróarr took off as fast as the cart could carry them. She heard an arrow slam into the side of the cart and flinched away from the sharp metal piercing the wood near her shoulder.
The cart would not be enough to save them, but she had to hope for now.
She gathered Sind into her arms, forcing him toward the center to cover him with her body and protect him from any more arrows. Ingrid did the same for her granddaughter. The children were fortunately silent, but Sind was trembling in her arms and she could see the fear in Ingvild's flickering eyes.
She could hear people running behind the cart and dared to glance back to see Gunda and Axel following them on foot. They both had their weapons out, ready to fight any attackers that came at them. She knew their escape would be cut off soon enough. If they headed toward the river, they would run right into the main attack on the fleeing villagers. If they went west, into the forest, they would run into another flank there. They might have some fortune if they took a ship into the fjord, but the shiver that ran down her spine said the brunt of the storm would come from the fjord. This attack was merely the beginning of all that she foresaw.
"Were any men directed to protect the villagers?" she called up to Hróarr.
"Heat was leading a small faction to watch over the bridge. I was meant to join him, but…" Hróarr's answer ended with the sound of a bowstring thrumming dangerously close.
Ingrid grunted beside her and slumped forward over her granddaughter.
"Ingrid," Nami cried out as she noticed the arrow sticking out of her shoulder.
"I'm all right," Ingrid whispered while Ingvild whimpered beneath her. Nami looked up to see an archer standing on a rooftop, another arrow knocked. "It'll be…"
Nami moved to cover her as the archer released the next arrow, but was too late to save her. The arrow sliced into the old woman's lower back.
Ingvild screamed when her grandmother cried out and fell heavier onto her. The old woman's breath rasped out. Nami watched her eyes struggle to stay open as she rasped words too soft for Nami to understand. The old woman ran a hand through Ingvild's light brown hair, shushing the crying child, even as another arrow struck her leg.
"Don't cry, child," she heard Ingrid rasp as her eyes finally lost the battle to stay open. "Don't cry. Don't cry."
Nami's eyes stung as she listened to her voice grow softer before she fell silent. She heard Axel and Gunda shout behind her, mixed with the ring of steel against steel. She swallowed her grief to gather Sind closer to her chest and squeezed them against the old woman's body. Sind was trembling more and she could hear him whimper, but his fear was drowned out by Ingvild's sobs as she tried to wake her grandmother.
"Shhh." Nami reached out to cover Ingvild's head and urge her to remain still beneath her grandmother. The smell of death reached her nose, but she held back her urge to gag at the putrid scent of feces that grew stronger in the air as they raced through the village streets. Ingrid's body was better protection than any shield for the children.
Nami knew she had no reason to fear her own safety. She hadn't been shot by the archer. All the arrows struck the wood or Ingrid, one sank into the bench Hróarr sat on. They weren't aiming for her.
The cart jostled abruptly and a hand clamped down on her hair. Nami screamed in surprise while Hróarr shouted from the front of the cart. Whoever jumped into the cart with her pulled at her hair hard enough to send a sharp pain through her scalp. The pain raced down her spine when he jerked her head back, forcing her to cry out while the children screamed and grasped onto her dress.
She grappled for the axe hanging from her belt, but the man's grip loosened as suddenly as it appeared. A spray of blood struck her cheek and she looked up to see Hróarr standing on the cart, facing the attacker. His sword dripped with fresh blood as he shoved the dying man off the moving cart.
"Stay down," he ordered as he retook his reins.
Nami nodded, gaping at the close call, and turned back to the cowering children. "It's all right," she reassured as she gathered them in again. "Everything will be all right."
She heard Hróarr hiss a quiet curse and the cart came to a skidding halt. The horse whinnied loudly and she glanced up to see it rear in front of the cart and then crash to the ground on its side.
"Stay down," Hróarr whispered before she heard him release a wheezing breath. She looked up at him, her eyes widening at the arrow sunk deep into his chest.
He began to stand, his hand clinging to his sword. She wanted a cry out a warning, but her voice lodged in her throat. It would have been too late to save him from the next arrow that pierced into his eye. She clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle her scream as she watched him fall back onto the bench, limp and lifeless. She felt a tear slide down her cheek as what little hope she might have had trickled away.
"Lady Nami," a man called out. "We were told that you would take this route to escape."
She pushed Sind and Ingvild to stay low while dashing away her tears. This wasn't the time to cry.
She forced her fear away, shook off Sind's hands when he tried to clasp onto her dress, and slowly sat up to see who called to her. Smoke filled the air around her. The homes closest to the bridge were razed and smoldering while more homes were catching fire. Within the black and grey plumes, two men stood in the path between her and the way that should have led the villagers to safety. She choked back another sob when she spied bodies littering the ground before the burning bridge that was slowly falling to pieces over the water.
Women, children, elderly – they spared no one. She could only hope some made it to safety earlier in the day.
She also noticed that Gunda and Axel were nowhere in sight.
The men standing in her way stepped forward and her hand instinctively fell to her axe. The large, heavy set man froze in the middle of the path and knocked an arrow in his bow to aim at her. The other man wasn't fazed and waved for his companion to stand down. The second man was tall, built with lean muscle. His head was bald, but he still had a neatly groomed beard to frame his thin scowl. His dark skin contrasted to his companion's fair complexion, his clean scalp with the rotund man's long mane of deep red hair.
The taller one that approached her raised a hand in a calming gesture. A white dog trotted at his side, its tongue lulling out the side of its mouth before it stopped to sniff at the dying horse bound to her cart.
"We have come to fetch you. It would be in everyone's best interest if you come without a fight," the man said, his voice perfectly calm.
She eyed the sword resting on his shoulder, but forced herself to relax. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed out her dress and ignored Sind's pleading tugs as she stood. She straightened her spine and forced herself to stare down coldly at the men approaching her.
"Who sent you?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
"The king, of course," he answered. "I am Ohm, one of his priests. I've come to set you and this village free."
A shiver raced down her spine. She didn't like the darkness in his eyes when he said that. His words were cold and emotionless. His idea of freedom was not the same as hers.
"If I go with you, will you promise not to harm these people?" she asked, tilting her head back to stare down her nose at him.
Ohm sighed. "I can make no promise. If they fight us, we will have no choice but to fight back."
Anger clawed at her chest, but she shoved her temper aside as best she could. "You just slaughtered innocent people only seeking to escape you. I don't think I can trust you to keep your word that you will only fight those that attack you directly."
"If they bend their knee and pledge fealty to King Enel, I am certain he will spare the rest," the other man called as he lowered his weapon. His lips twisted in a mocking smile that she trusted even less than Ohm's words.
She had little other choice but to trust them. If she continued to resist, she would only guarantee that the village and all its residents would be destroyed. There would be no survivors, no hope.
"I'll go with you," she decided. "But, if you cannot guarantee the security of the villagers, then at least promise me that you'll allow these children safe passage from this battle."
Ohm craned his head to see the two children hiding in the cart with her. His lips pursed in a frown, but he agreed with a grudging nod.
"Swear it in your king's name," she added, refusing to trust his word so easily.
"I swear it," he said firmly. "Your wards will be safe."
He came over to extend a hand. She turned her nose up at the silent offer to help her from the cart and gathered the skirts of her dress to climb down on her own. Sind held tight to the hem of her dress and whined to her in English. She didn't understand a word he spoke, but the tears streaking down his face said enough. Ingvild sobbed pleas for Nami to remain, holding out a tiny hand from beneath her grandmother's body.
Nami struggled to hold back her tears as she wrenched Sind's hands from her dress. He shouted in alarm as she slipped over the side of the cart and lunged without warning. She watched with terror creeping up her spine as Ohm shifted his sword on his shoulder, tensing as though preparing to strike the child down for merely reaching for her. She moved quickly to block the man from harming Sind and turned to face the boy.
She smacked Sind across the cheek and sent him reeling back into the cart. Her chest ached with guilt as he turned shocked eyes up to her while nursing his red cheek.
"You can't come with me," she said coldly. "Stay with Ingvild and wait for Jarl Kid to return."
"I hope you don't mean to incite a war with those words," Ohm said, his voice pitched low with a warning.
She glared at him. "Your king has already incited a war by coming to take me. Nothing I say or do is likely to change that."
If she was taken by force, the war would be quick and bloody and likely end in the king's favor. By going of her own free will, she might have given Killer a chance to temper Kid's anger. This war would not be won with reckless action. Kid could not let his rage dictate his behavior.
"Lady Nami," someone called out. Nami turned to see Gunda and Axel sprinting toward her, both bloody and bruised. Gunda's braids were undone, her hair flying wild with the ends ragged and uneven. Her battles had left her hair shorn, cut to her shoulders. Axel looked to have fared better in battle, but she could see him breathing harshly and his gait was slower than the shieldmaiden's, coupled with a slight limp.
Their injuries likely wouldn't be enough to deter them in their duties and that realization made Nami's blood run cold.
"Stop," she cried out, but her warning went unheeded as Gunda grit her teeth and sped toward them, her gaze set on Ohm and sword ready to strike.
Ohm shifted only slightly and pushed Nami aside before raising his sword to block Gunda's first blow. He put no effort in pushing her away. Gunda came back with another strike, but Ohm lazily kicked her in the stomach to send her to the ground, coughing up bile from the force of his blow. In a flash, Ohm struck out with his sword and Nami screamed as she watched his blade slice across Gunda's face.
She felt helpless as she watched Gunda fall back, the shieldmaiden's eyes wide as blood flowed over her cheek and nose and brow. But as Ohm pulled back his sword to ready for another strike, a final blow that would kill the woman, Nami forced herself to move.
She locked her arm around Ohm's and held him as tight as she could. He tried to shake her off, but she dug her heels into the slick ground and used all her strength to pull him away. Axel's shout broke into her efforts and she looked up to watch him dodge an arrow from the other man while running toward Ohm. His face was twisted in anger as he readied his axe to strike at the man she held.
"Holy," Ohm shouted while he continued to fight her grip.
The white dog forgot the horse it had been sniffing and sprinted at the threat to its master. Axel stood no chance to hit the dog while he smack away another arrow. He was sent to the ground with a pained shout, the dog's teeth clamped down tight on his forearm. He tried to slash his axe at the animal, but as soon as he raised his free arm, an arrow flew at him and pierced just below his wrist. He cried out as his weapon fell from his loosened grip and struggled to shove off the dog as it jerked and twisted the arm in his maw.
"Stop," she screamed when Ohm finally managed to push her away. She stumbled back with the force of his shove, but was caught by the arm when his companion rushed forward. He gave her arm a sharp tug that sent a bolt of pain through her shoulder before she collapsed against his side.
"Don't get in the way, woman," he hissed while they watched Ohm once more prepare to strike Gunda down. The shieldmaiden was too dazed to save herself. She could only lay on the ground and watch the sword as it came down at her, aiming for her heart.
So caught up in the struggle with the two men, Nami didn't hear the galloping beat of a horse as it neared until it were upon them. A man hollered just before the horse flew into the fight, knocking Ohm away from his victim as it reared on its hind legs and kicked at his head. Ohm ducked and slashed at the animal, but missed, too concerned with protecting his head from the horse's hoof. Another enraged shout drew Nami's attention to the rider. Geir's face was twisted in anger as he turned his horse away, careful to avoid Gunda, and slashed at Ohm with his sword.
"Nami," she heard Heat call out as he raced toward them from the river on another horse. He had two more horses behind him, saddled but riderless. He balanced in his saddle as he knocked an arrow and quickly let it loose at the dog trying to tear Axel apart. Ohm let out a sharp whistle and the dog jumped away just before the arrow could strike him, but Heat was not deterred by the miss and knocked another arrow, this time aiming for the dog's master.
Ohm's companion shoved her away so he could knock his arrow and aim it at Heat. His shot struck the healer in the arm, sending Heat's shot wide of its mark and nearly struck Geir's horse. This battle was turning into chaos when there should be no need of it. These people were only prolonging the inevitable by coming to her rescue. If they continued to battle these men, then she wouldn't be able to save anyone.
She had to save them.
She ran at the archer before he could let his next arrow loose on Heat. She slammed into his back and knocked him over. His arrow flew straight up. He scrambled back to his feet, quicker than she would expect from a man of his build, and backhanded her for her actions. The strike forced her to crash into the cart again. She tasted blood on her tongue, felt a split in her lower lip, but she had no time to think of her own injuries as Heat leaped from his horse to attack with his short sword.
Nami threw herself between the two men.
"Stop fighting," she yelled, freezing Heat in place. His eyes went wide as she glared at him. "I've already agreed to go with them. This battle is over."
"We can't let you…" he began to argue, but paused when she stepped toward him, sneering.
"If you don't end this battle now and get the children to safety, I will kill you myself," she warned coldly. "Leave."
The scream of Geir's horse broke Heat's gaze from her. The other warrior was flung from his saddle after Ohm landed a strike on the horse's foreleg. The animal reared and kicked, nearly trampled its rider, and then took off for the woods. The horse had more sense than the men who thought to save her.
Ohm stepped toward her, his sword raised defensively as he eyed the injured warriors around them.
"You're fighting a losing battle," Nami said to Heat and the others. "You have no hope of winning here today. Take your lives and let me leave of my own free will."
"Kid wouldn't…"
"I don't care what he would want," she yelled. "He isn't here. He left on the eve of this battle. He cannot stop me from leaving now. And that is the way it is supposed to be."
An eerie silence fell over them as Heat stared at her. His expression showed no emotion but she could see the conflict in his eyes. The sound of the children sobbing in the cart finally reached his ears after a moment and he stepped back, sheathing his short sword.
"Get the children," he ordered Geir. "We're retreating now."
She didn't allow herself to relax until the men had mounted the other horses. Axel threw Gunda over the flank of one before tenderly dragging himself into the saddle, his injuries hindering him, but he stubbornly managed. Geir took Sind into his lap on another horse, and Heat had the sobbing Ingvild. She watched as they began to trot toward the river, the men all stealing glances back at her, surely wary of the men with her.
They were right to worry.
Ohm's companion stepped in front of her, another arrow knocked in his bow as he aimed at Heat's back. Nami felt a rush of anger and propelled forward to force him off balance, ruining his shot. The arrow slammed into a tree, alerting the retreating group of his intent. Heat gave a shouted command and they kicked their horses into gallops, fleeing into the thick trees where the man's arrows could not reach them.
The archer growled in anger and turned, his hand raised to strike her again. Ohm caught his arm and glared. "Let it go, Satori," he commanded.
Satori jerked his arm back and sneered at the other man. "Don't presume to order me around. I'm a priest, too. You have no authority over me."
"I am more skilled a warrior, undefeated in battle. If King Enel thought to rank us, I would be your superior," Ohm countered.
Nami sighed as the two men proceeded to bicker and turned to the cart. Her eyes burned as she took in the two lifeless bodies that remained. Her throat tightened as she stared at Hróarr's gaped expression and ashen face. The blood trickling from his eye had already begun to dry.
She took a deep breath and forced back her grief. She could not cry over them, not yet. She had to smile, to look forward. Better days would come so long as she continued to move forward. She would not let their deaths be in vain. With one more deep breath, she forced herself to climb onto the bench while the priests bickered behind her. She took a moment to close Hróarr's mouth and his one eye before plucking a small amber bead from her leather bracelet.
"It's all I have to give you," she whispered while pressing the stone into his hand. She had to force his stiffening fingers to close over it and choked back a sob as she pressed the loose fist over his heart. "When you see Finn, tell him he is missed." She sniffled and a tear broke free. "As you will be."
She leaned up to kiss his cold cheek and bit her lip when she pulled back to keep herself from sobbing again. The priests were still arguing as she climbed into the back with Ingrid, gifting the old woman with another bead of amber.
"Your granddaughter will be safe," she promised as she brushed back the old woman's grey hair. "I would take care of her myself if I could, but until it's safe to see her again, she will have to be Kid's responsibility. I'm sure he'll protect her for you." Ingrid's knotted hands were balled into tight fists, but she forced her amber between her fingers. "I hope Freyja welcomes you into her hall with the others, but if not, I'm certain Loki's daughter will treat you well in her domain."
With her goodbyes said, she jumped out of the cart and shoved her way between the two bickering priests. They silenced themselves as she straightened her back and tilted her chin up. She would not let them see her grieve any longer. She would not let any other man see her cry again. She would fight her battles alone until she was free. She would stay strong, no matter what lay before her.
"I'm ready to leave," she said, her voice hard with determination. The falcon had left its perch on the hall and circled above them, crying out its approval as a rumble of thunder carried over the fjord. "Take me to the king."
A/N: Finally back and writing more consistently again! Yay!
This chapter was going to be longer, but I felt it best to split this battle into two parts so I can pace it better. If you're wondering about Killer's battle, you'll get that in the next chapter. I'm hoping the action I write for that battle is better than the action in this one. I feel this was rushed a bit, scant on some details and emotions, but maybe that's just from my perspective since I wrote it.
And, as I warned, this arc gets really dark. There will be more deaths in the next chapter. And they won't be my OC's.
Little notes on the references - Bonney's mythological reference in this chapter was extremely vague. I couldn't work in the whole tale in this chapter, but I'll elaborate on it more at the end of the arc. The main reference were the apples carved into her throne, a symbol of the goddess Idunn (or Ithunn), who provided the gods with the apples that gave them their long lifespans. Without her apples, they would grow old and die. I connected Bonney to her because of her abilities that can either make someone younger or older.
The other reference was the mention of Loki's daughter near the end. Hel rules the domain of Hel and Niflhel. There is a lot of complexity and confusion in all the places that the dead can go in Norse mythology. Valhalla (or Valholl) is probably the simplest, if only because it is so well known. But there are more places to go, depending on how you die, though even that can be negotiable. Hel is somewhat a default place. Niflhel is the cold underbelly where a soul is essentially extinguished (you don't want to go to Niflhel). But HEL is... possibly not so bad? Possibly a sorting area where the ruler will send you off to Helgafell or some other hall to reside in what amounts to an extension of your life on Midgard. Some stories say that Hel is quite kind to those she rules over. It's not a wonderful place, but she loves the dead and decay and rot, so she won't be particularly cruel unless your death warranted a painful afterlife. The afterlife is weird and ruled over by multiple gods in some capacity. Even Ran, who takes drowned sailors, is good to them, allows them to view their own funeral before taking them to her hall and later giving them to Hel, who she is very close friends with. Thor is known to take slaves into his hall when they die and is seen as the god of the common man, so it's possible that others can go to him in the afterlife. Of course Freyja has her field and hall. There was a tale of a king that was venerated as an elf after his death, thus implying he went to Alfheim, which is ruled by Freyr. The concept of an afterlife is very personal and there isn't any set 'heaven' or 'hell' or 'purgatory', it's all just some sort of extension of how you lived before, possibly with some reward or punishment if you are particularly deserving of it. *shrugs*
Anyway, last note is on Nami's behavior in this toward the end because I feel that might cause some alarm - Remember that she struck Chabo (that boy from Gosa Village) when he wanted to fight Arlong for killing his father. She has no qualms with hitting a child if it's meant to save their life (just like Cora did by throwing Law out a window, ahahaha). Basically Nami is shifting to 'Arlong-Nami' to cope with the circumstances she's in. I'm sure you'll all understand the change and the reasons for it.
I was going to title this 'Ensam är stark' (Alone is strong - basically, you can accomplish a lot on your own), the Swedish saying that fits this arc, but it didn't fit as the title for only this chapter. For those that missed my tumblr pics from my trip, I got it tattooed on my arm while in Manchester. XD